Daily Devotions
I call upon You, for You will answer me, O God; incline Your ear to me; hear my words. Psalm 17:6
My family was young, and I was very busy with things at church. When my son, who was about five years old at the time came up and asked me a question, I would often reply, “I’m busy right now. Go ask your mother.”
One day, one of my parishioners told me about another father who promised his children a day at the circus. Just as they were leaving, the phone rang. The man’s boss asked him to come in. The man politely declined. After the call, the man’s wife said, “We’ll be disappointed, but we understand if you have to go to work.”
The father replied, “My work will be there tomorrow; our children will soon be gone.
Now there are times when a pastor can’t follow that example, but I thought I’d try. Not more than two days later my resolution was put to the test. I had just brought down and washed the screen of an upstairs window. While the screen was drying, I climbed back up to wash the window. It was then, from below, Kurt called up, “Daddy, I have a question.”
I said to myself the windows will be there an hour from now; my son and his question won’t be. I came down the ladder, sat next to my son and said, “Yes, my boy, what is your question? Daddy’s always ready to let you drink from his intellectual well of wisdom.”
Kurt asked, “Daddy, do you know where Mommy is?”
There are days when you just can’t win.
Still, that story reminds me of our Psalm verse for today: “O God incline Your ear to me.”
Think about that for a moment. We’re talking about God — the Creator of all you see and everything you don’t see, the Person who with a word called the universe into existence. We’re talking about God, who is all-powerful, all-knowing, the beginning and ending … the best of the best … the One nobody is better than.
He is inclining His ear … to me. I can almost see Him learning forward … waiting to hear what I, a poor miserable sinner, has to say.
The thought is overwhelming. Still, such is His great love for me and my love for Him.
Let’s just say He’s always more ready to listen to me than I am to talk to Him.
It’s a condition I need to change … and maybe you do, too.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, the song says we are “to take it to the Lord in prayer.” Forgive me for when I don’t do that. Help me see You are waiting to hear from me, and let me come to You as a beloved and respectful child. This I pray in the Name of Jesus whose life, death and resurrection have made this relationship possible. Amen.